Paris 2024 Paralympics Para-Taekwondo: Aruna Tanwar eliminated after losing 0-19 in women’s K 44-47kg Round of 16 bout

India’s para-taekwondo athlete Aruna Tanwar was eliminated from the ongoing Paris 2024 Paralympics after losing 0-19 in the Round of 16 clash in the women’s K 44-47kg bout against Turkey’s Nurcihan Ekinci on Thursday, August 29.

24-year-old Tanwar was never given an opening to set her footing by her veteran opponent, who overpowered the Indian para-taekwondo athlete from the opening second.

The result would be immensely disappointing for Tanwar, who had previously created history by becoming the first Indian taekwondo player to qualify for the Paralympic Games by playing in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

The early elimination of the 2022 Asian Para Games bronze medalist will put a severe damp on India’s efforts to better its tally of 19 medals from the Tokyo 2020 Games.

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How did Aruna Tanwar fare against Nurcihan Ekinci in the Paris 2024 Paralympics Round of 16 bout?

Thursday’s clash between Aruna Tanwar and Nurcihan Ekinci was always going to be a feisty one, with the former being a World Championships bronze medalist, and the Turkish para-athlete being World Championships runner-up and 2022 European champion.

However, the actual clash was anything but a ‘fight’, with Ekinci dominating the proceedings from start to finish. 36-year-old Ekinci, making her Paralympic debut on Thursday, won the first set of points with a series of brutal body kicks on Aruna Tanwar. The latter’s chances of getting anything out of the game were further dampened when she seemed to suffer from an injury mid-way through the bout.

Despite showing heart to continue the match, Tanwar could not win even a single point in her match, with Ekinci running away as a 19-0 winner in Round 1 of the opening taekwondo match of this year’s Paralympic Games.

The Turkish para-taekwondo player showed immense stamina and athleticism by recording nine body kicks against Tanwar, while the latter gave away one penalty point in the match.

The Paris 2024 Paralympics started on August 28 and will end on September 8.